


Don't Be A Cog...

by VictoriaValeska



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-19 00:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9408473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VictoriaValeska/pseuds/VictoriaValeska
Summary: Set during season 3 episode 12.After being fired from a job she really needed, the reader goes to a new club that has just opened and drink away her problems and makes some unlikely new friends.





	

Sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan…especially in Gotham.  
Here I am…just left school and starting on my way on a career path…well that is until I got fired.  
Typical office job…9 til 5 and 5 days a week.  
It was okay…a little boring but okay.  
If it wasn’t for the supervisor…she wasn’t a manager but just a supervisor who acted like a manager. She was probably the reason the term ‘Micro-managing’ was created.  
I really needed this job and she knew that but still just through me out like trash.  
I know they say you can’t find happiness at the bottom of a bottle but I wasn’t sure what else to do…I didn’t want to go home just yet and confront my parents.  
So I made my way to a new club that opened not too far away. After flashing my ID to the guy standing at the door, I made my way in and weaved through the crowd, taking a seat at the bar.  
I ordered the strongest drink they had and was shortly served. While sipping my drink I looked around and noticed everyone in the club was dressed in the same sort of clothes. The shirts appeared to be straitjackets and a lot of people were wearing messy clown makeup.

Even the band on stage that everyone was dancing too was dressed the same. After glancing at everyone, I turned back to my drink.  
Hey. At least they are having a good time…who was I to judge.  
I soon finished my first drink and then order another when someone sat next to me, actually…it was a bunch of people in fact.  
“Knocking those drinks back a bit aren’t ya?” a woman asked who was dressed like everyone else but I noticed her make up running slightly…they must have been dancing or was the look meant to look like that…weren’t sure.  
The others in the group snickered.  
“Yeah well being fired from your job tends to make you do that.” I said.  
The group jeered.  
“Oh let me guess…a dead end 9 til 5 job for a fat cat company being paid minimum wage to pay your taxes? Am I right?” said a guy in the group which caused the others to jeer again  
Before I could say anything the woman spoke again.  
“Listen darling, don’t waste anything on them. You don’t need them” she said.  
Another woman in the group spoke out.  
“Damn right! They, as Jerome says are just cogs in a machine. Shackled. They fear the law! The swines!’  
The group cheered. Were they on sort of drugs here?  
"Who is Jerome?”  
This seemed to shock them immensely.  
“You’ve never heard of him? He’s a genius!” the guy from before said.  
The first woman spoke again.  
“He was the only one who had no fear and broke free!” the exclaimed earning the cheer from the group and a few others near by to decided to join in on the conversation.  
“We can fill you in on what you’ve missed…if you’re interested?” said the second woman.  
I wasn’t sure if it was just the alcohol but a lot of what they were saying…was actually making a lot of sense.  
“So what do you say? Do you want to break free from the shackles?” one person asked.  
“Or”  
“Do you want to be just like everyone else? Too afraid of the politic elite and want to pay your taxes.” one girl snickered  
……  
It had been a few weeks since that fateful night and I’ve been with the group ever since. They had become my family in a way.  
I got to know a lot more people and make friends which was something I was never good at in school to be honest and the friends I did have at school have all gone their separate ways now.  
I got to learn all about Jerome from the leader of the group, Dwight.  
Didn’t bother going home. They wouldn’t understand. A lot of people call us a 'cult’ but we aren’t…we’re a family. We’re ahead of the rest and they are just stuck in the past…to afraid to stand up for themselves. They rather be slaves in the giant absurd machine that they call 'order’ and 'justice’.  
Sadly our true leader, Jerome, is dead. Killed by a typical corrupt politician…Theo Galavan but thankfully Galavan has since met his maker…twice in fact. Dwight has spoken of bring back Jerome which I found unbelievable…at first..that is until I read about Dr. Strange and Indian Hill and from that doubt came hope that Jerome may one day walk among Gotham again and lead us into a new age of freedom.  
Dwight had been experimenting with old corpse he “borrowed”…yeah…that’s a nicer way to put it, from the morgue. We were getting closer but not there just yet and everyone was getting quite impatient especially with the GCPD who have started sniffing around.  
Dwight was getting nervous and agitated too.  
Me and Dwight rushed to the warehouse to meet the lab guy.  
“Were you followed” he asked me and Dwight.  
“No. No thanks to you” said Dwight sternly and then continued.  
“How did the girl escape? You led the cops right to it”  
The lab guy began to stutter.  
“I-I turned my head for a minute. She must of stumbled out. This proves that your designs work. She came back to life” he said hastily.  
Dwight turned away.  
“But not for long. The currents too strong, her body couldn’t take it” said Dwight.  
Dwight then quickly turned back to look at the lab guy again.  
“We have to move quickly. Gather the others. It’s time to get him”  
“Are you sure Dwight? We can’t risk losing Jerome forever if something went wrong” I said.  
Dwight turned to me.  
“We have too. It’s only a matter of time before the GCPD track us down…we can’t waste anymore time” he replied.  
I simply nodded…knowing what he was saying was true.  
…  
Patrols have been stepped up around Gotham since James Gordon and Harvey Bullock crashed one of our PRIVATE gatherings.  
How rude.  
Just because they are the members of the GCPD they think they can just follow people around and invite themselves to parties.  
When I arrived at our gathering, Dwight was on stage as usual but he was wearing a mask…not a Halloween mask but a mask of a face…a face that looked familiar.  
It wasn’t Jerome’s…was it?  
It looked very real…blood was around the edges of the face and were the eyes are meant to be.  
“WE ARE JEROME! WE ARE JEROME!” The crowd roared  
Anger boiled within me but I contained myself not wanting the only one to cause a scene in the mass of people so I waited until it was over.  
Dwight went off stage and around the back so I followed.  
He disappeared but soon without the mask. He had been washing his face…probably from the blood on the mask.  
“What was that? What the HELL was that?!” I shouted.  
“Y/N listen…something went wrong. I tried bring Jerome back but…it didn’t work” he explained and then continued.  
“But then I realised…I’m like him…I can lead us to burn this city.” He said getting excited.  
I shook my head.  
“No…no you can’t. That’s Jerome’s job. This is his group…like the Maniax was but were better than them. We’re loyal to Jerome…we won’t stab him in the back. Only Jerome can lead us” I explained, trying to reason with Dwight.  
But Dwight wasn’t listening.  
“No. I’ve abandoned the project, he’s at the GCPD M.E room now. I can be Jerome…I am Jerome” said Dwight.  
“No you’re not!” I bellowed.  
“You’re not Jerome and you’ll never be Jerome! You may have his face but you’ll never be him!” you said frustratingly but continued.  
“You’re…You’re just masquerading! You’re nothing but a copycat and that’s all you’ll ever be!” I finished now red in the face.  
During our exchange, none of us heard what was going on further in the back where Dwight just came from until the door opened.  
There. In the door way stood Jerome Valeska…very much alive with his face back on. There were staples surrounding the outside of his face where he seems to have reattached his face. He began to speak…  
(Author warning: I apologise for the upcoming joke but I couldn’t resist haha!)  
“Sorry for being late…but I was just putting my face on” he said in a low menacing voice before erupting into a menacing fit of laughter. I was starstruck. I had only seen Jerome one in person and that was when he was frozen in that chamber but now here he was…the legend I’ve heard so much about.  
“Jerome Valeska…it’s such an honour” I said bow slightly…damn! Stupid starstruck!  
Dwight stepped forward equally starstruck and if I’m not mistaken..a bit scared.  
Well Dwight did remove Jerome’s face and abandon him.  
Dwight spoke.  
“Jerome. It certainly is-” Dwight began but was cut off by Jerome.  
“Care to explain why my face was unattached from my body? Hm?” asked Jerome, well..more like demanded actually.  
“W-Well Jerome-sir…you didn’t wake up when I tried to revive you so-” Dwight stated but was cut off again by Jerome.  
“So you decided to cut off my face and go around acting like me huh? Well there’s one teeny little problem…would you care to have a guess of what they might be?” Jerome questioned…  
“I’m not you?” Dwight was treading carefully…it was obvious Jerome was pissed.  
Jerome raised a hand, signalling Dwight to no go further and spoke again.  
“Besides that. You see I have vision and ambition and brains” Jerome stated and continued.  
“You’re just a nutting little wannabe” Jerome finished with his voice dripping with venom.  
“I-I’m so sorry Jerome. Please…forgive me.” Dwight pleaded with a weak smile on his face.  
Jerome made his way over to Dwight and put a hand on the left side of Dwight’s face and grinning menacingly.  
“What’s death between two friends?” Jerome said.  
This caused Dwight to smile but as quick as a flash Dwight’s face became twisted with pain.  
Jerome had stuck a knife that Jerome must have had concealed in his sleeve and Dwight slowly sank to the floor at Jerome’s feet while Jerome cackled.  
I stared at Dwight’s lifeless body lying on the floor, taking in the sight and registering what just happened and after a few seconds laughter started to bubble inside of me and I found myself chuckling along.  
Jerome pointed the knife at me, grinning.  
“Be a doll would you and gather the others…it’s showtime!” Jerome exclaimed theatrically at the end.  
“Yes Boss” I said saluting and rushed off to gather the others for the unveiling of Jerome on stage.  
'Boss huh?’ Jerome thought to himself.  
“Could get used to that” he said excitedly grinning and he made his way to the stage for his grand entrance that Gotham will not soon forget!


End file.
